This invention relates to an endoscope light source device containing a control circuit used to control the operation of a light source for supplying an illumination light to an endoscope, thereby adjusting the supply of the illumination light.
An endoscope and its light source device developed to date generally are shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 1, an endoscope body 1A comprises a control section 2A, insertion section 3A and flexible umbilical cord (or universal cord) 4A connected to the control section 2A. A connector 5A is fitted to a distal end of the umbilical cord 4A. The connector 5A is detachably fitted into a connector receptacle 7A provided in a light source device 6A.
A light guide tube 8A, air inlet 9A and a plurality of contact pins 10A are projectively provided on the distal end face of the connector 5A. A liquid inlet member 11A is projectively provided on one lateral peripheral wall of the connector 5A. An outlet member 12A is projectively provided on the opposite peripheral wall of the connector 5A. The connector receptacle 7A of the light source device 6A is provided with a through hole 13A for receiving the light guide tube 8A, through hole 14A for receiving an air inlet member 9A and through holes 15A for receiving contact pins 10A. When fitted into the connector receptacle 7A, the connector 5A is rendered non-rotatable relative to the light source device 6A. Where the interior of a complicately bent coeliac cavity such as the large intestine is examined by an endoscope, the endoscope has to be rotated about its axis to a greater extent, as it is inserted more deeply into the coeliac cavity.
Once, however, joined with the connector receptacle 7A of the light source device 6A, the connector 5A fitted to the distal end of the umbilical cord 4A is rendered unrotatable relative to the connector receptacle 7A. Where, therefore, the endoscope is rotated, the umbilical cord 4A is undesirably twisted. Where the insertion of the endoscope into, for example, the large intestine is repeated, the difficulty is presented that the light guide fiber bundle, air and water tubes, and suction tubes, etc. are possibly damaged.
With the conventional endoscope, therefore, the connector 5A is pulled out of the connector receptacle 7A to release the umbilical cord 4A from twisting, and thereafter the connector 5A is again inserted into the receptacle 7A. At this time, the tubes connected to the liquid inlet member 11A and outlet member 12A also have to be pulled out, undesirably resulting in the suspension of coeliac examination during the interior.
It is accordingly the object of this invention to provide an endoscope light source device, wherein a connector receptacle connected to a connector of an endoscope is rotatably provided in a light source device, thereby preventing the twisting of an umbilical cord caused by the rotation of the endoscope, and also the damage of an illumination optical fiber bundle and tubes inserted into the umbilical cord.